Should a paranormal group pay to investigate a haunted site? This topic is quite the controversy in the paranormal world. Some think if you are paying to investigate then you are not a true investigator, only a "novice" or "tourist." Others jump at the opportunity to check out a famous haunted site no matter what the cost.Our group does investigate paid sites, along with private locations. We will not pay $1,000 to stay the night at a haunted location (Waverly Hills) but we will check out reasonably priced destinations to supplement our other cases. My thought is I would rather be investigating than sitting at home wishing someone would call us about their paranormal happenings. The more we investigate, the more experience we get.That brings us to the fact some haunted places are charging astronomical rates for investigators to overnight, or sometimes stay only part of the night, with the local ghosts. The most expensive we've come across in the Midwest is Waverly Hills. No doubt we would love to investigate this awesome haunted asylum but no way will we cough up that much cash. $1,000 will get you a lot of paranormal equipment, fund a Bigfoot expedition, or pay for a Haunted Road Trip. There are many ideas for spending that kind of money which is why we limit the amount we do spend. (Update: I've come across an even more expensive place. Ohio State Reformatory charges a whopping 2,400 bucks a night!)Yes, these people are a business out to make money and if I owned an old run down hospital I would do the same. Some even use the money to restore the building to its former glory. Good can come with an operation like this but the more we check into places to investigate, the more I think people are taking advantage of paranormal investigators by setting their rates through the roof.You might pay $20 a person all the way up to $2,400 a night. I have noticed the price going up quite a bit at some places, even tripling the amount we paid in the past. Here are some of the more reasonable places we have or will be investigating and can recommend:The Roads Hotel, IndianaBartonville Insane Asylum, IllinoisFarrar School, IowaWhat are you willing to pay? Have you paid a large sum for an investigation? Did you think it was worth it? Do you avoid these places at all costs? We want to know your opinion.

It took an episode of Ghost Hunters to pull me out of my writing stupor. I haven't written a blog in months mostly because I've been too busy and trying to catch up on evidence review but after watching this episode I knew I had to voice my opinion.

I eagerly anticipated the Ghost Hunters episode at Ashmore Estates, Illinois, which aired this past week because my own group had invested there but I was sorely disappointed.

Right away I could tell the Ghost Hunter's group was out to prove Ashmore wasn't haunted. Normally they don't investigate that way but typically go in with an open mind, which they said they were, but that couldn't have been farther from the truth. The whole episode was strange. First of all the "client" was a former resident of Ashmore Estates and claimed it was not haunted. Well, I don't believe the place became haunted until after she lived there so I'm not surprised she would feel this way.

They interviewed the owner of the building for about 5 seconds. This is the one person who could give you a lot of information about the place. He deserved more screen time but I don't think they really wanted to hear what he had to say. The show said the owner thought Ashmore was haunted but they did not show the owner actually saying this. I know for a fact he does not. He specifically told our group when we investigated that he did not think it was haunted.

One of the claims was whispers being heard in the building. In order to debunk this claim the group had Tango step outside and talk to see if they could hear him while inside the building. They could. The place is in the middle of nowhere surrounded by a farmer's field. Nobody is going to be walking by. If you did hear whispers that came from the outside then it would have to be someone you already know is there. The Ghost Hunters team claimed to have disproved this without offering all the facts.Not every place is haunted. You may not get paranormal evidence at a place that is truly haunted. I have no doubt Ghost Hunters doesn't get evidence every time they investigate but this time I think they went out of their way to prove Ashmore Estates is not haunted.

I recall a past episode at Bobbie Mackey's where they also did the same thing. Ghost Adventures had investigated Mackey's and came up with a lot of paranormal evidence and claimed there was a "portal to hell." I believe the owner of Bobbie Mackey's asked Ghost Hunters to investigate to prove this wasn't the case. Maybe they were getting bad press about evil lurking in the building? I wonder if someone associated with Ashmore did the same thing but I couldn't imagine why. The owner rents the building to ghost hunters. If the place wasn't haunted he wouldn't make any money. Ghost Adventures also investigated Ashmore Estates and claimed to have ghostly experiences. MaybeGhost Hunters is out to disprove Ghost Adventures? It feels more and more like a competition.

Check out our investigation at Ashmore and form your own opinion. Is it haunted or not?

What is your opinion? If you investigated here tell us what you found and post a link to your evidence.

"You'll dress only in attire specially sanctioned by MiB special services. You'll conform to the identity we give you, eat where we tell you, live where we tell you. From now on you'll have no identifying marks of any kind. You'll not stand out in any way. Your entire image is crafted to leave no lasting memory with anyone you encounter. You're a rumor, recognizable only as deja vu and dismissed just as quickly. You don't exist; you were never even born. Anonymity is your name. Silence your native tongue. You're no longer part of the System. You're above the System. Over it. Beyond it. We're "them." We're "they." We are the Men in Black." from the movie Men in Black

Who are these mysterious government conspiracy clones? Aliens? Hybrid aliens? A secret government agency? The job of those strange men lurking in the shadows is to shut down any information relating to UFOs and aliens, as if the government is trying to keep it a secret. Think you're being followed after sighting a spaceship or a visit from ET? You are! Here is how you can recognize them. They dress alike. MIB wear a black suit, sunglasses, and drive a black vehicle or even a black helicopter. There are always more than one of them. I think three men dressed exactly alike, all in black, are conspicuous. Why don't they dress like a normal human being if they don't want to stand out? Either they aren't human and have no fashion sense or the getup might be an intimidation factor.Here is a video taken from a hotel surveillance camera of two men, dressed like the MIB, appearing after a UFO sighting to question the hotel workers. Couldn't these guys just be going to a wedding? There are so many reports of the MIB. Can it really be coincidence?

Maybe they aren't part of the government at all but come from another planet and are aliens themselves. There are various reports of the MIB looking otherworldly with pale or olive skin, glowing eyes, exhibiting strange behavior such as not knowing what everyday objects are, speaking telepathically, and making things disappear, including themselves. Could the government really be telling the truth about not knowing anything about this? Doubtful.

The first account of a MIB encounter was in 1953. A group named the International Flying Saucer Bureau (IFSB) was persuaded to stop investigating UFOs. Albert Bender, the founder of this group, supposedly discovered some information about a UFO cover-up and was going to publish this in his magazine, Space Review, but before he did the MIB showed up to silence him. In 1968 Albert Bender, published a book about it, Flying Saucers and The Three Men.

Who is ordering these mysterious men to threaten citizens who witness something they shouldn't into silence? Some think they are a branch of the Air Force called the Air Force Special Activities Center (AFSAC). This unit actually exists but they aren't telling us what they do.

Another secret agency could be involved called the Office of Scientific Investigation and Research (OSIR). This is thought to be an organization that includes scientists who research paranormal phenomenon (think X-files) that may or may not still exist. It even had a public affairs department in 1990 that appeared on popular TV shows such as 20/20 and National Geographic but has since faded into obscurity since 2000. After doing some research I discovered the website for this agency no longer exists and was not able to confirm their appearance on TV. This truly is a cover-up.There was even a science fiction TV show in Canada based off of rumors about this agency called Psi Factor starring Dan Aykroyd. If this agency does indeed exist this could be my dream job. I can be contacted at cyndi@huntersoftheunknown.com. This organization may have changed their name and location possibly rumored to be Advanced Scientific Applications (ASA) or Global Research Assessments (GRA) located in Europe. There is so much speculation about secret agencies I don't think we will ever find out.

A former Colonel in the Air Force accused the government of a UFO cover-up and proposed there a secret government agency does exist. Read the recent account here. If this high ranking military official believes the government is hiding something then why don't we?

I have no doubt the government is concealing knowledge of extraterrestrial life. Some shady guys in a suit might be paying me a visit.

The K2 Meter is used to detect an electromagnetic field (gauss) by measuring an increase in AC field. It is believed that a spirit either produces or disrupts the electromagnetic field. When it detects EMF the lights on the meter light up. This is my favorite EMF Meter. It's not too big and very easy to use. I love to watch the lights light up. Never had any issues with it. We bought the K2 Meter along with a MEL Meter at DAS Distribution but you can find these on ebay as well. I give the K2 meter 5 spirits.Check out this video of a spirit interacting with our K2 Meter during a paranormal investigation.

This is an EMF Meter used to detect an electromagnetic field (gauss) by measuring an increase in AC field. Electrical wiring, light fixtures, appliances, any electronic equipment give off EMF. Paranormal investigators think spirits also give off EMF. What's special about this piece of equipment? It measures both EMF and temperature. We've never had any problems with it. The device takes one 9-volt battery which lasts a long time. Only had to replace it one time and we think a spirit drained the battery because we also had a camcorder drained at the same time. There are a few versions of this meter, depends on your price range. This one worked good for us. I give the MEL Meter 8704R 5 spirits.

There is a moving story about Gary Galka, inventor of the MEL Meter. He created this device to communicate with his daughter who died in a car accident. Read about it here. We bought this meter along with a K2 meter at DAS Distribution, Gary Galka's company, but you can find these on ebay as well.

Zak, Nick, and Aaron are back on the hunt in the new season of Ghost Adventures.

The first episode of the season took us to a recently closed prison that is soon to be demolished. The GA guys were the first and only paranormal investigators to check out the place. This made for an interesting background. They came up with some decent evidence, including a super cool video on their full spectrum camcorder of what they thought was a portal to the other side.

There is one thing that bothered me about the start to their new season.

Ghost Adventures has always been one of the more entertaining paranormal shows on television. After watching the first episode of Season 7 (Wow has it been 7 years already?!) I noticed a difference in our three ghost hunters. Zak referred to their investigation a couple times as "research." They have been more careful about claiming things that happen are paranormal because they've taken a lot of crap about it in the past few years. Well, I don't like it! I love watching Zak totally freak out at every little sound. I love the way Aaron would shake in his boots when Zak and Nick made him stay in the darkest, creepiest room by himself. That's what made the show entertaining.

Aaron did go off by himself to investigate but Zak and Nick didn't tease him or make him go and Nick was way too serious the entire show despite the fact a spirit put him in a rotten mood. Zak just wasn't overflowing with excitement for the hunt. These guys are usually hyper, funny, and even down right rude and antagonizing. I love that about them!

I always believed they were true paranormal investigators, maybe a little over the top, but always there for the right reasons. So why can't they have an eccentric personality to go with it? That's what made them unique and different from other paranormal shows. Don't give in to peer pressure Zak, Nick, and Aaron. Be who you are!

Last night was the season premiere episode of Ghost Hunters without Grant Wilson. Teaser commercials claimed this season was going to be different. Well, according to the first episode I saw only minor differences. Right away I noticed Jay did not appoint someone as a co-lead investigator to take his partner's place. Although Steve, the obvious choice, did investigate with Jay, so did Amy. Tango seemed to take over as equipment tech, Steve's previous position. Maybe it's just a matter of time before Steve slips into that lead investigator role.

One of the first things I noticed was the split screens. They showed where each investigator was in a different screen. Takes a little getting used to but was helpful when something paranormal happened to one of them you could tell where everyone else was. I'm glad they didn't over do it but I sure wouldn't want the video editor's job.Amy announced she is pregnant and has decided to continue investigating which is controversial in the paranormal world. Some people think pregnancy increases paranormal activity with the mother's protective instinct taking over therefore enhancing the senses and pregnancy hormones aiding in spirit energy. On the downside some think a spirit can attach to the fetus. There are spirits everywhere. If this were the case then pregnant women can run into the paranormal in the delivery room. Freeloading spirits aside, pregnant woman should be careful in the field for obvious reasons including dangerous abandoned buildings, poor air quality, etc. Jay has already taken a protective role with Amy and I think she will be safe and not take any chances. With Amy due in the fall and being the only female investigator, scenes for next week's episode include a new female ghost hunter. She's gonna have a hard time filling Amy's shoes.

This show was a little more edgy than in past seasons. Production crew member, Hagar, endured numerous scratches inflicted on her by an unseen force. This poor girl, not even a team investigator, got more than she bargained for. With scratches all over her body Hagar insisted she wanted to return to the old jail and continue the investigation. This bravery alone should shoe her into Amy's soon-to-be vacant role. We like Hagar. She earned the right to be on the team. Who is this other female investigator in next week's episode? I don't know but already Hagar has my vote. New girl, you've got your work cut out for you.

I had high hopes this season that Ghost Hunters would be different. So far I am not convinced it is but we have a whole season to look forward to and I hope some surprises.

We had an investigation at a large abandoned building and I knew our camera cables would not be long enough to cover the whole building. I searched and searched for a solution. First, I looked at new, longer cables but they were way too expensive. You could use a portable camcorder or camera but also that was too expensive to buy new equipment. Then I found extension cables. These cables attach to the ones you already have. Our original cables were 100 feet long, add another 100 feet as an extension cable and you have a 200 foot cable. We tried these cables out during our investigation and they worked flawlessly. I scoured the internet for a great price and found it at http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3629874. It looks like this is a different brand that I bought but appears to be the same thing. It also comes with the connector. I know little about electronics and even I could figure out how to connect these cables. Love it! I give these BNC Extension Cables 5 spirits.

Need a case to store all your paranormal toys? This equipment case is the solution. Is has hard sides, a foam inside that you can custom make to fit everything you need. Word of caution, don't pull out too many foam pieces. I think we should have left more foam between equipment. We stored a DVR, MEL-Meter, K2 meter, audio recorder and 4 IR cameras into this large case. It's a good size, not too big to carry. It has a lock with a key to keep the gouls out. You can find this case on EBAY or most paranormal stores. I give this Equipment Case 5 spirits.

We bought these 2-way radios from Amazon. They are small, durable, light weight and easy to use. The description on Amazon has Giant in the title. It is far from giant, not sure what that's about. It has a range of 23 miles. We tried them out in a large, stone insane asylum and had no problems with interference. The radios fully charged last us an entire night of paranormal investigating, the description says 8-10 hours. It comes with an earpiece for hands free communicating which comes in handy with all the paranormal equipment we carry around but the radio itself clips to your pants (or whatever else you want to clip it to) as well. The only downside is it comes with a 2 base charger so you can only charge 2 at a time but that wasn't enough of a drawback to not give the Motorola 2-Way Radios 5 spirits.